Santiago (Chile). The FMA of Chile inform us about the crisis situation the Country is living and the commitment of the FMA to promote peace and dialogue.
On November 15, 2019, after almost a month of street demonstrations by the citizens throughout the country, some with episodes of violence and, in many cases peaceful, the political representatives of the National Congress of Chile reached an historical agreement with the goal of convoking a referendum for 2020 to draft a new Constitution to substitute the one of 1980. In fact, from October 18, 2019, Chile is living a time of social agitation, motivated by the request for greater dignity for everyone. The social crisis that is crossing the Country accented economic problems and social inequality. From then, there have been a series of violent protests, fires in the subways, looting, but at the same time, many people have held peaceful, cultural demonstrations promoting dialogue and peace. However, the strikes and protests continue and have also defaced some Catholic Churches, including the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in the city of Talca.
In the Educating Communities of the Province of St. Gabriel Archangel (CIL) the situation of the country is being faced by accompanying the young and the families, educating to peace, and promoting dialogue.
In this scenario, from 31 October to 4 November 2019, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, led by the Provincial Sr. Ximena Oyarzo Mansilla, carried out the Provincial Chapter with a sense of belonging and a spirit of faith. The context and the climate lived enriched the reflection of the participants, calling them to personal and community conversion, and rethinking the apostolic mission starting from the testimony and contribution to society, through the education of children and young people and of the families, with a greater conviction of what it charismatically means to form ‘good Christians and honest citizens’.
Since October 20, lessons are still suspended in all schools in the country and in Salesian schools for security reasons. Some FMA schools are experiencing the crisis in the country with greater discomfort. The FMA are living this difficult situation by becoming close to the population. In each Educating Community, spaces for dialogue and reflection are proposed, groups led by student committees and formators to address in a proactive and serene way, the time of social crisis that the Country is experiencing. The provincial invited the religious communities to offer prayer and daily work for peace and to welcome the appeal of the Bishops to make concrete gestures of solidarity.
The Bishops and parish priests of the Church in Chile invite Catholic communities to pray, to participate actively, to be willing to serve, and to continue the process of discernment for the renewal of the Church.
Praying for peace and justice, truth and charity, this is the invitation for next December 8, on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, “in which the country will be consecrated to the maternal protection of the Virgin Mary.”
